Tough job market for recent law school graduates (2 letters)

Thank you to Vincent Carroll for raising awareness about the costly pitfalls of obtaining a legal education. University of Colorado law professor Paul Campos’ new book will serve as a critical tool for combating the misinformation about the costs and benefits of attending law school.

I know firsthand how difficult the job market is for recent law school graduates and new lawyers — many who incurred six-figure student loan debt. Since graduating from law school and becoming a licensed attorney in 2011, I have already dealt with significant bouts of unemployment, underemployment, and a law firm budgetary layoff.

Campos’ courage to defy the ivory tower status quo and blatant misrepresentations made by many law schools is commendable. One can only hope that more law school deans and professors, who frequently espouse the virtues of justice, equality and fundamental fairness, will honestly assess the present plight faced by a multitude of recent law school graduates, and then take corrective action to remedy the systemic failings of the current legal education model, including the inadequate attention given to the dearth of suitable employment opportunities for law school graduates and new attorneys.

Ryan S. Hansen, Englewood

This letter was published in the Aug. 3 edition.

Vincent Carroll’s thoughtful column on law school prompts all of us, in an era of increasing scarcity, to ask what type of higher education is worth purchasing. If we, as members of groups in the market for post-graduate education, cannot justify the cost, then the rigors of the free market — with consumers making choices benefitting them — should force graduate programs to lower tuition to a level more in line with the value of the degree on graduation. How long until undergraduate costs fall in line with their fair market value? Will universities that proactively cut costs and give students lower tuition survive more readily than those that refuse to understand that with each tuition increase the pool of their prospective students shrinks?

George A. Purcelley, Windsor

This letter was published in the Aug. 3 edition.

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17 Comments To "Tough job market for recent law school graduates (2 letters)"

#1 Comment By Robtf777 On August 2, 2013 @ 7:02 pm

Those who pursue law degrees are a lot like those who play college sports in the hopes of landing that million-dollar professional contract: Wishful thinking for the vast majority of them.

There are far too few Professional/Major Teams to take ALL the “good” players…..so the Pros/Majors scout for the “cream of the crop” and the Excellent/Outstanding players……while the “good/average” players hopefully fall back on whatever college education they also pursued.

The same is true with Law Firms and Corporations that pay the BIG BUCKS. They can ALSO take the “cream of the crop” from the BEST of the law schools……leaving the “good/average” students to take…..lower paying jobs…..elsewhere…..like for the DA’s and Public Defender offices……not that those jobs are “bad” because they are certainly NOT…..and they DO perform very vital and worthwhile functions in and for oir society.

But most people who enter law school may envision being the next…..Perry Mason….or “Suits” lawyers……or the Frank Azar’s who make the “big bucks” while also seeking “justice and rightful compensation” for the little guys who are being screwed by the insurance companies.

The FACT is that new lawyers fresh out of law school compete for the “great” jobs with everyone who just graduated law school……..and the “average” law student may find themselves at a disadvantage…….and working long hours for smaller law firms…..in smaller cities…..at lower pay than their illustrious counterparts do…….who ALSO work very long hours.

Such is life.

The same happens in most fields of work……even with TV news and with newspaper reporters. The BEST land the Big City Jobs in New York City and other Big Cities like Denver. The “good but average”……work for smaller venues in smaller cities……..just as the “good but average” college baseball players DON’T play at Coors Field……but in AAA, AA, and A venues…..elsewhere……or don’t even play at all except for the amateur team they may play for at the company they work for.

#2 Comment By Steve R On August 2, 2013 @ 11:58 pm

You can always become president. Obama has shown that as long as you have a law degree, you don’t need any experience to be president…and unfortunately it shows!

#3 Comment By mrfxx On August 3, 2013 @ 8:06 am

Or run for Congress for either party – or hadn’t you noticed that the majority of those in both the House and Senate are former lawyers?

#4 Comment By toohip On August 3, 2013 @ 9:02 am

Could the right’s hatred of lawyers (torte reform) be a factor?

#5 Comment By toohip On August 3, 2013 @ 9:08 am

Even Robt didn’t have to sub-reference to abortions, but leave it to a Tea Partier to find a way to turn this into an anti-Obama connection. Fail.

#6 Comment By toohip On August 3, 2013 @ 9:23 am

or all the ob gyns in the Congress on the Republican side who say, like R-Ron Burgess who said “fetuses masturbate in the womb (wearing tiny raincoats) or like ob gyn Ron Paul who said abortion leads to euthanasia. or R-Phil Ginried who endorsed Todd Akin’s “legitimate rape” when a woman is assaulted by a “licensed, bonded, and fully insured rapist” ovulation is prevented. Six Republican gynecologists in Congress! Too many Republicans with their heads between women’s legs, but nothing between their ears. [4]

#7 Comment By guest On August 3, 2013 @ 10:08 am

Did you even bother to read the letters? It doesn’t sound like it.

#8 Comment By peterpi On August 3, 2013 @ 12:27 pm

Use any topic to attack Obama.
Did McCain or Romney have presidential experience before running for POTUS? Did Reagan?
Lincoln was a mediorce attorney before running for the statehouse and Congress.
Next you’ll be posting on the I-70 letter that weekend traffic jams are Obama’s fault.

#9 Comment By peterpi On August 3, 2013 @ 12:28 pm

Neither did Steve R. Robtf, for all his rambling, actually talked about the topic of the letters

#10 Comment By fanman On August 3, 2013 @ 1:15 pm

Romney was governor of Massachusettes and a successful business executive. Reagan was president of the Screen Actors Guild and governor of California. Lincoln was a very successful railroad lawyer. Obama was zilch.

#11 Comment By peterpi On August 3, 2013 @ 1:22 pm

Baloney to your last statement.

#12 Comment By peterpi On August 3, 2013 @ 1:28 pm

But you don’t understand: Republican lawyers are experienced, and concerned only for the common good. Democratic lawyers are incompetent fools.
The Steves, thors, fanmans, and their counterparts on the left are destroying this country.
We’ve always had partisanship, but we used to have people in both parties who tried to find compromise and common ground. Then we got people into the Republican Party who saw politics as an extension of the Battle Between Good and Evil. No compromise. Some Democratic partisans responded in kind, and that’s now all we have. Two sets of politicians trying to obliterate the other. No middle ground.
On the Republican side, there’s no ability to see Obama as a capable man trying to do his best. No, he’s an incompetent fool single-handedly destroying Western Civilization.

#13 Comment By Old_Enough On August 3, 2013 @ 2:38 pm

I love it! The rampant hatred of lawyers displayed here is typical whenever there is an article about lawyers. But when you need one, you want the biggest shark in the court room. (BTW, I’m not a lawyer).

#14 Comment By RSH, Esq. On August 3, 2013 @ 3:57 pm

I hate to break it to you, Robtf777, but even district attorney, public defender, and other government attorney jobs are extremely competitive to land right now. There is a significant shortfall of any and all available attorney jobs in both the private and public sectors currently.

#15 Comment By Guest On August 3, 2013 @ 4:07 pm

A lawyer, a hooker and a used car salesman walked into a bar, they threw the lawyer out….they do have standards.

#16 Comment By reinhold23 On August 3, 2013 @ 4:58 pm

Um, what? Where is the hatred you mention? I read the letters and all the comments (save Rob’s).